1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an auto flow steam trap, especially to a steam trap that discharges condensate formed in a steam system.
2. Description of the Prior Art(s)
In a steam system, such as a steam pipeline, a steam container, a steam heater, and the like, when steam with high temperature and high pressure is cooled down, condensate is formed in the steam system. A steam trap that is connected to the steam system discharges the condensate in the steam system and maintains heating effect of the steam system.
A conventional steam trap comprises a hollow body, a partition panel, and at least one float assembly. The hollow body has a condensate inlet, a condensate outlet, and a drain channel. The partition panel is securely mounted in the hollow body and divides an interior of the hollow body into an upper chamber and a lower chamber. The drain channel communicates with the lower chamber and the condensate outlet. The at least one float assembly is mounted on the partition panel. Each of the at least one float assembly has a float seat, a non-return valve assembly, a float, and an adjusting tube. The float seat is mounted on and through the partition panel. The non-return valve assembly is mounted in the float seat and is disposed at the lower chamber of the hollow body. The float is movably mounted in the float seat and is disposed at the upper chamber of the hollow body. The adjusting tube protrudes down from a bottom of the float, is slidably mounted through the partition panel, protrudes into the lower chamber of the hollow body, and has at least one guiding hole. Each of the at least one guiding hole is formed through the adjusting tube, extends longitudinally, and has a uniform width from top to bottom.
Condensate from the steam system flows into the steam trap through the condensate inlet and is accumulated in the upper chamber of the hollow body. As the condensate accumulated in the upper chamber increases, the float is lifted and the adjusting tube moves up accordingly. When the at least one guiding hole of the adjusting tube corresponds in position to the upper chamber of the hollow body, the condensate in the upper chamber further flows into the adjusting tube via the at least one guiding hole, and opens the non-return valve assembly. Then the condensate flows into and is accumulated in the lower chamber of the hollow body, and is discharged out of the hollow body via the drain channel and the condensate outlet of the hollow body.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional steam trap, each float assembly has a specific discharge rate. Although a total discharge rate of the steam trap may be increased by increasing the number of the float assemblies, each float assembly, especially the non-return valve assembly of each float assembly, has complicated structure and needs numerous components. Accordingly, a steam trap with multiple float assemblies has complicated assembling processes and high failure rate.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides an auto flow steam trap to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.